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Once you’ve registered with My Florida Green via The Doc App, you’ll probably want your Medical Marijuana Card approval as quickly as possible. This article will show you how to do that. What to do after you register for your Medical Marijuana Doctor appointment.

After you register with us, you will receive two emails from the State of Florida’s Medical Marijuana Use Registry. These emails contain your login information for the state registry. With the login details from these emails, you’ll need to login to the MMU Registry website, pictured below.

The first email will be your registration email, it will look similar to this:

The next will be your password reset, it will look like this:

This email has your temporary password, you can accelerate your approval by logging into your state profile, creating a new password, and completing the steps below.

How to complete your MMU profile

If you see your photo from your driver’s license pre-loaded in your state profile, do not replace it. This will slow down your approval.

Once you’re logged in, you’ll be prompted to upload proof of residence. This is usually your driver’s license.

Seasonal residents, or those without a state driver’s license, can upload pictures of your utility bill, lease, property tax, or voter’s registration documents. Once they’re uploaded, you’ll be asked to “sign” the page at the bottom by typing your name.

Once you do that, a new button will appear prompting you to pay the state’s $77.75 processing fee.

If this process is confusing or difficult, don’t do it. We can take care of this during your doctor’s visit. And remember, don’t stress! We are here for you and will make this all easy for you.

To see if you, your friends, or your family may qualify for a Medical Marijuana Cardplease click this link and fill out the brief form.

The World Health Organization has declared that CBD – the relaxant property of cannabis found in medical marijuana – should not be a scheduled drug.

As legalization of cannabis has spread rapidly across the United States and around the world, health officials have cautioned that we do not have enough research to rule out any down sides.

But today, after months of deliberation and investigation, the WHO has concluded that cannabidiol (CBD) is a useful treatment for epilepsy and palliative care, and does not carry any addiction risks.

While the organization is set to run a fuller review of cannabis next year, assessing all cannabis-related substances, physicians and the cannabis industry have been poised awaiting this decision to deny scheduling for months.

Had the WHO chosen to schedule the drug, it could have hamstrung physicians from prescribing medical marijuana globally.

Medical Marijuana for Cancer, Epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s

The WHO has declared medical marijuana is beneficial for cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other diseases, and does not carry an addiction risk

The report, published today, also recommended imposing the strong restrictions available on fentanyl, a synthetic opioid which has killed thousands of people in America’s drug addiction epidemic.

‘There is increased interest from Member States in the use of cannabis for medical indications including for palliative care,’ the report said.

‘Responding to that interest and increase in use, WHO has in recent years gathered more robust scientific evidence on therapeutic use and side effects of cannabis and cannabis components.’

In conclusion, the authors wrote: ‘Recent evidence from animal and human studies shows that its use could have some therapeutic value for seizures due to epilepsy and related conditions.’

They added that ‘current information does not justify scheduling of cannabidiol’, and declared that taking medical marijuana will not lead to addiction to THC, the psychoactive property of cannabis that induces a ‘high’.

Cannabis for Epilepsy

Speaking to Daily Mail Online, Raul Elizalde, the Mexican father who became an unlikely face for cannabis as he fought to get his epileptic daughter treatment, said he was overcome with emotion.

He is responsible for driving the Mexican government to legalize medical marijuana so his first-born daughter Grace, who once suffered hundreds of seizures a day, could access CBD. Now, she suffers a few seizures a day.

Medical Marijuana Health Benefits

‘I’m ecstatic that these international health leaders agree that CBD is a substance that should not be scheduled and has therapeutic value for a variety of medical conditions,’ Elizalde, founder and president of HempMeds Mexico, told Daily Mail Online on Wednesday.

‘We look forward to continuing our conversation about its many benefits in 2018.’

Speaking last month about his family’s experience venturing into the world of medical marijuana, Elizalde admitted he had never considered the medical benefits of a drug which has caused mayhem and agony in his country.

But after medications and surgeries proved futile for Grace, he and his wife, from Monterrey, a conservative and traditional region in the north of Mexico, decided to try CBS.

‘It has changed our life,’ Elizalde told Daily Mail Online.

‘I never thought I would be doing this, that cannabis would be part of our life. But Grace changed everything. Now I know that just taking CBD is like taking a health supplement. It is not a replacement for her treatment, but it has changed her life.’

Patient Advisory for Medical Marijuana in Naples, Florida

As Southwest Florida residents, we volunteer to pay for certain luxuries. But just because we live in beautiful areas like Naples, it doesn’t mean we should be forced to overpay for Medical Marijuana Certifications. That is especially true if you’re seeking Medical Marijuana in Naples from a Medical Marijuana Physician that knows little to nothing about itor how to recommend it to a patient.

If you’ve spoken with a Medical Marijuana Physician and they have “prescribed” you Medical Marijuana, that is a red flag!

To get your Medical Marijuana Certification you must get a recommendation not a “prescription.” How can a physician prescribe a plant that grows out of the ground? If you have a digestive issue, can you get a prescription for prune juice and cabbage? Of course not.

You also can’t get a “prescription” for Medical Marijuana in Naples because Marijuana is still a Schedule 1 drug. This means it allegedly has “no medicinal value.” In 2017, we should know that this is absurd. It also means that it is still federally illegal, and the clinical studies that would prove it’s ability to disrupt the $ Trillion+ drug industry cannot be performed.

Florida Medical Marijuana Law

In November, 2016 with the support of 71% of Floridians, Medical Marijuana was authorized by Amendment 2. In June, 2017 Governor Scott updated the legislation by signing Senate Bill SB8-A.

At this point, Medical Marijuana officially became legal for physicians licensed with The Office of Medical Marijuana Use to recommend to patients with qualifying medical conditions.

There are now over 1,200 M.D.’s and D.O.’s (aka physicians) in Florida that have obtained their Medical Marijuana Licenses with The Office of Medical Marijuana Use. We have personally called most of them and know from direct conversations that they are often either clueless about Medical Marijuana, or they’re hesitant to incorporate Medical Marijuana into their existing brick and mortar practices.

Who can blame a Neurologist or Radiologist who’s run their practice for over 30 years and believes in Medical Marijuana, but is hesitant to recommend it to patients because it’s still a federally illegal drug and could expose their practice to unseen risks?

Note: if you’re a Physician who knows that Medical Marijuana is a beneficial alternative to synthetic drugs for a huge variety of ailments, we can help you serve your patients, reduce risks to your practice, and streamline your operation.

The Risks of Bad Medical Marijuana Advice

If you’re a patient who’s been to one of the many doctors licensed to recommend Medical Marijuana in Naples who are uninformed on how to properly recommend Medical Marijuana, you are not alone.

At My Florida Green’s Naples location, we’ve seen some shocking recommendations entered into the state registry. One example was for a 78 year old womanwho has never used Medical Marijuana in the past and was “prescribed” two twenty milligram edibles per day! One in the morning, and one at night.

Anyone who’s ingested an edible knows that this is a strong dose and could have been overwhelming to her instead of therapeutic.

Chances are, when she tried to obtain her Medical Marijuana in Naples, the dispensary would have turned her away and asked her physician (not mentioning any names, but he’s located in Naples) to reload her recommendation in the proper format.

As of now, this patient has to schedule another appointment with her physician, pay another office visit fee, and educate the physician on how to properly do his job! What a debacle!

For the record, we’ve left several messages for this practice “prescribing” Medical Marijuana in Naples in an attempt to help them with their future patients but have gotten no response. We also know of patients who want to be deactivated from this particular physician in the state registry. Thus far this practice has refused to do so which in our opinion is unethical, violates their Hippocratic Oath, and puts a black mark on the community seeking Medical Marijuana in Naples.

How to Choose The Right Doctor for Medical Marijuana in Naples

If you’re seeking a Medical Marijuana Doctor in Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, or Fort Myers here are some critical questions to ask:

1. Are you prescribing Medical Marijuana to patients or recommending it?

2. How many patients have you certified?

3. Will your office help me order medicine?

4. What are the delivery methods available for administering the medicine?

5. How much is the total for my Medical Marijuana Certification?

1A. If they answer prescribing, RUN FOR THE HILLS!

2A. If less than 20, their experience is minimal.

3A. If no, they are clearly inexperienced, especially with patients who are cannabis naive.

4A. Inhalation, Oral/Sublingual, Nebulizer, Topical are the delivery methods currently available (sorry as of Dec, 2017 no flower “bud” is available).

5A. If it’s over $300 for the initial visit or over $500 for the year, we suggest you shop around.

The point of this article is not to bash inexperienced Doctors recommending Medical Marijuana in Naples, (at least it isn’t opiates!) we are posting this article to build awareness for the Florida Medical Marijuana community.

Medical Marijuana in Naples and All of Southwest Florida

Here at My Florida Green we establish long-term relationships with patients seeking Medical Marijuana and assist them with their transition from synthetic medicine to natural alternatives.

Meet Nick Garulay, CEO of My Florida Green

Nick Garulay moved to Naples from Boston in 1996 as a last resort. He survived 4 years waiting on tables and managed to save up $6,000 to pursue his passion of buying and selling cars. In 2000, he started a software-driven car dealership that exploded into a $29 million dollar tech company and dealership.

In 2011, the company’s CFO, who was like a father figure to Nick, embezzled $560,000, ultimately leading him to close the company he had started from the ground up. He rebuilt his car business from the ashes but soon realized he was finished with the car industry. The money was there, but it lacked gratitude, fulfillment, and a sense of meaning.

Florida’s Medical Marijuana Program Changes Everything

In September 2016, with the rising momentum for Amendment 2, Nick built a small website to see how many people in Florida were interested in Medical Marijuana as an alternative to synthetic medicine. The response was overwhelming! He managed to attract hundreds of potential patients in a short amount of time.

He called each inquirer and interviewed them to see if they were in fact real patients in need, or just people looking to get their card so they could legally possess marijuana. He was shocked to find that almost every single person clearly suffered from debilitating conditions that qualified them for Medical Marijuana under Amendment 2!

He began to establish relationships with these people and found out how difficult the process of obtaining one’s medical marijuana certification was. With the memories of the people in need in his heart, he put everything on the line to build a software platform that could handle the complex regulations, organize patient documents, and serve the requirements of both patients and physicians.

Nearly 18 months later (as of March 2018), we are proud to offer My Florida Green to Medical Marijuana Patients in Florida!

The Need for Medical Marijuana in Florida

November 2016 came and went, and Amendment 2 passed with an overwhelming 71%! Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before bad businesses started to pop up and minimally educated doctors started moving forward with facilitating Medical Marijuana recommendations for patients in Florida. Technically practicing and recommending Medical Marijuana in Florida was not yet legal, but with no regulatory program or review system in place, no one was really overseeing these companies and doctors.

Nick watched carefully, kept speaking with patients and physicians, and quickly decided that in order for the Florida Medical Marijuana program to thrive here in Florida, it needed a passionate, and more so compassionate, advocate for qualifying patients and physicians alike.

He continued aggregating patients who had high hopes of establishing care and obtain their Florida Medical Marijuana Card with a reputable Licensed Medical Marijuana Physician.

Nick worked with a total of six doctors until he found one that he felt was trustworthy and making Florida Medical Marijuana recommendations for the right reasons. He discussed a partnership opportunity with the physician, under the terms that Nick would set up a virtual clinic and the patients could be seen via Tele-Medicine.

Nick saw this as the future of medicine and a “game changer” approach to facilitating Medical Marijuana Recommendations in Florida for patients. Why should a patient need to see a physician physically when they could do so from the comfort of home?

He continued researching medical marijuana studies and became deeply passionate about this natural medicine and the people he had developed life-long relationships with.

It became painfully obvious that we are facing a disastrous synthetic epidemic with physicians over-prescribing medications that are manufactured by Big Pharma with secretive programs for doctors to profit from.

The more he researched the more disgusted and troubled he became. Enough was enough and he decided to make a commitment to not only himself, but to his family and to the patients to help change this intricate system created by corruption and greed.

The Mission: Making Medical Marijuana Easy for Qualified Patients

With his software experience from building platforms to manage his car dealership, he knew about automation and process and procedures. He purchased a proven tele-medicine platform and white labeled it with the branding he had already created.

The doctor could now see patients via video chat over the web, so the fact that Nick had aggregated patients all over the State of Florida and the doctor being in Gainesville would no longer be an issue. He thought that this would provide convenience for both the patient and the physician, he was literally changing the industry and it felt incredible!

On June 23, 2017, the wind was taken out of Nick’s sails when the bill, SB8-A, signed by Governor Rick Scott, was put into effect. This new bill would make Medical Marijuana officially legal in Florida, but with unfathomable restrictions and guidelines. Now, physicians and patients must be present in the same room during the “physical evaluation” which literally took his current tele-medicine platform down and destroyed the business model. He remembers sitting in his office the day the law went into effect with his hands over his face trying to hold in tears in front of his team.

But he stayed focused and got on the phone, calling doctors from the list of state approved physicians that took the course and were licensed with The Office of Medical Marijuana Use. He discovered there were hundreds of physicians that had the license but very few were participating in the program. They were reluctant to risk their existing practice and/or had very little education on Medical Marijuana, or more often times, both.

The few doctors that were moving forward and facilitating patients were literally taking advantage of patients by over charging them and entering confusing “prescriptions” for cannabis in the state’s registry. What a mess! How can a physician “prescribe” a plant that grows out of the ground? How can they suggest cannabis as medicine when they know nothing about it?

There was a need for physicians that were practicing for the right reasons and an even bigger demand for a patient management platform that could give the physicians, with established brick and mortar practices, the ability to operate in an ancillary fashion so the risks were minimized. Even more so, a need to regulate pricing as it was all over the board! Some doctors are charging $300 per visit and some are charging $500, and there is no regulation preventing patients from being ripped off.

According to Nick, this is a recommendation not a prescription! It should be recommended that a patient starts low and gradually increases, building knowledge of self-dosing and tolerance with experience.

“My team and I passionately believe that both the patient and the physician need to be educated on Medical Marijuana,” says Garulay. “Every Florida Medical Marijuana patient we see receives gold standard care, education, and support. Every physician that earns the right to be a My Florida Green ‘Doc’ is informed on Medical Marijuana and of the utmost intelligence and integrity.”

My Florida Green would become the solution for the issues discovered for both patients and physicians. Nick now had to build out the software to facilitate and educate the patient from beginning to end, making it as easy as possible, for both the patient and the physician.

After 13 months of frustrating delays, twists, and turns, MyFloridaGreen.com is officially live and regularly serving over 50 Florida Medical Marijuana patients per week! Our Medical Marijuana offices and doctors currently operate in Naples, Sarasota, Daytona Beach, and Davie, Florida. Many more locations will soon be live and seeing patients across the entire state.

Although it’s been a bumpy road, Nick and the entire My Florida Green team are driven and focused to provide patients and physicians with the gold standard in Medical Marijuana care, compassion, and compliance in Florida. Nick looks forward to continuing to serve, educating people on the power of Medical Marijuana, and is elated by the results he is seeing from My Florida Green clients and patients!